Rotten Redemption
by etherphobos
Summary: A weird one-shot centered around Jervis Tetch, aka The Mad Hatter, with a little bit of the Joker, and others.
1. Part 1

The wall exploded. Laughter, maniacal laughter. From the ashes he came through, still laughing, with a big and wicked smile on his red lips, a gun on his right hand, and a bag of homemade bombs in his left one, the Joker.

"You should have searched in all the orifices!" He said.

He walked through the darkened hallways of the Elizabeth Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane, his steps echoed through the unsanitary and desolate walls, until another wall poised itself in front of him, blocking his way. Unfazed by it, the Joker searched in the bag without letting go of the gun, then joyfully threw another bomb at the obstacle, smashing it down whole.

"That's what I call a shattering evacuation," the joker said before crossing through the destruction.

He then stepped into what turned out to be another block of holding cells, which was mostly empty, except for one presence he could feel. The noise of the crumbling wall disappeared, and the pitch black darkness added to the absolute silence made for an agonizingly asphyxiating atmosphere. He psychically located the presence at the farthest corner from him, to his right, on the concrete calaboose. All the noise he had made didn't make a difference to the inmate, who didn't bother to make his presence known. This enticed the joker's curiosity and, once his sight adjusted to the blackness, he went to take a look. Right in front of the simple cell with bars, most commonly found in any other regular prison, certainly not in Arkham as it couldn't contain most of the freaks they had in there, the Joker found more black, and nothing else; he couldn't see the person inside as he or she was covered in shadows.

"Knock, knock, the milkman is here!" The joker shouted,

"go away," he heard back a nasal voice,

"no, and don't tell me who you are yet, let's see, it has to be someone puny, not the riddler, not the scarecrow, not the penguin, not even the calendar man, I'm sorry but I'm afraid I don't remember your voice, can you give me another clue?"

Jervis Tetch, aka the mad hatter, stepped where he could be seen, then walked all the way to the front of the cell where only the prison bars separated him from the Joker. He looked as tired as his eyes, that was, very tired. And part of that fatigue stemmed from the tragedy that was losing his hat, his most priced possession; without it he was nothing. There was nothing covering his badly trimmed hair badly styled slicked back, although he was wearing the rest of his green outfit, just like the Joker was wearing his purple suit, they looked like two peculiarly dapper gents confronting each other.

"I told you not to tell me yet! You've ruined the game," the Joker said,

"I'm sorry," Jervis replied,

"no worries, we can play another game, it's called get out of Arkham and rob a casino dressed as nuns then threaten to blow up a hospital but don't actually do it and blow up the town hall instead, are you in?"

"no thank you, I'd rather stay here, you should leave now before the guards surround you,"

"you look sad you old chap, what's gotten you down?"

"...I'm tired of looking for my Alice, and even if I still had energy I'd still need my hat to just speak to them, without it I am hopeless,"

"well look at you, who would've thought that was the problem? You dog, don't worry, with my help you won't need your hat to talk to the ladies, they don't call me Mr. J for nothing, do you know what the J stands for?"

"Joker?"

"Well, yes, but sometimes it also stands for Juicy, and you know why, don't you?"

"Because of something salacious?"

"You bet,"

"...regardless, I'm good thanks", Jervis finalized rather cuttingly, and the Joker looked at him with a tired pair of eyes, as if Jervis had passed some of his sadness to him,

"whatever, say goodbye to your blue balls for me."

The Joker left Jervis alone in the dark again, and just a few seconds later a squad of heavily armed guards walked in. Jervis boringly raised his hands behind bars and waited for the guards to shock the hell out of him with their hellish tasers, as it was the usual habit for them, however this time they ignored him and left for the Joker's trail. Jervis laughed quietly, then out loud. They had shocked him so many times before, certainly every single time they had visited him, and now that they had failed to do so he was left feeling like his day was incomplete. It didn't matter that the pain was always the same, and that it hurt like hell, he was almost hoping they came back just to shock him. But it didn't matter, what was the point?

Time passed, more explosions and faint laughs from afar. Jervis stood in the middle of his cell with his sight lost, not moving a voluntary muscle. He wished for the day to end, but he didn't want to do anything to distract himself from the slow passage of time; he couldn't be bothered to waste himself away, neither imagining crazy scenarios of him prancing on a field filled with green, as his love gazed at him from afar, nor reading the only book he was allowed to have, the book that realized him.

Then out of nowhere the Joker walked in front of his cell again, carrying Jervis' hat with him,

"Christmas came early for you Jervis," he said, "now step out of the way,"

"why did you come back?" Jervis replied quite confused,

"oh you know just helping a friend, well no, an acquaintance, barely, colleague maybe?"

"You should have left by now, you are putting your chances of escape in jeopardy for this,"

"that's fine I'll do it again later if they catch me, besides I always wanted to meet Alex Trebek, don't worry, when I'm done with you you won't need to use your mind controlling hat to make the ladies fall for you, you'll be doing that just with your sesquipedalian loquaciousness."

Jervis couldn't help but get a bit excited at the prospect of getting his hat back, and being free again, but he also had to admit to himself how interesting he found the Joker's proposition to be; there was no way he could ever talk to the ladies without his hat, but there was no fault in trying.

"Okay!" Jervis replied expressing more enthusiasm than he probably intended,

"perfect, step out of the way sugar", Joker said right before blowing Jervis' cell open and freeing him. Once out, the Joker handed him his hat and Jervis wasted no time to put it on with a smile on his face, and then he felt complete, just like his outfit.

"Just one thing," the Joker added,

"what's that?"

"I wouldn't take it off if I were you,"

"why not?"

"I put a bomb in there, which will activate immediately after you take it off,"

"you are joking,"

"I am, always, but the part about the bomb is actually true,"

"why'd you do that?!"

"Why not?"

The Joker ran outside of the building and Jervis had no choice but to follow him, not sure if he had just made a rather grave mistake or the single worst decision of his life.

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see",

"those bombs can't last you forever",

"well you can help me save some of them by using your stupid hat".

Jervis felt surrounded, it had happened many times before, enough times for him to develop a sharp and reliable instinct. Many steps became apparent and got progressively louder, if they didn't act fast they'd be caught in no time. Their situation only grew worse when the Joker led the two of them to a hallway with no end, where they were trapped between three walls of concrete and a wall of human vessels full of hate for the peculiarly wicked pair; the Joker had done the guards' job for them. But when the guards finally appeared before them there were only ten of them, and Jervis felt an instant relief, it was a piece of cake. He reached into the back of his hat's bond, then he smiled, then he threw a pack of cards right at the guards' heads with perfect dexterity, a remarkable ability acquired through countless hours of practice. Suddenly all of the guards lowered their weapons and stopped approaching their targets, instead each and everyone of them started walking into the wall to their right, and continued doing so after crashing every time.

Jervis then turned to the Joker as if he weren't controlling ten people with his mind, and the Joker gave him thumbs up before throwing another bomb at the wall behind them, shattering it completely. Then he and Jervis walked through the wall and arrived at another cell, where a body shied away from them.

"Whos there? There's nothing here for you, leave!" The inmate already inside cried out.

The smoke dissipated and Jervis was able to notice him, a man wearing dirty brown rags and a paper bag over his head, with holes carved out for his eyes,

"who are you?" Jervis asked,

"are you joking?" The inmate asked him back genuinely offended,

"this brilliant man here", the Joker intervened, "is no one else but Dr. Jonathan Crane himself, aka The Scarecrow,"

"why are you wearing a paper bag over your face?" Jervis asked,

"it's mainly a fashion choice, since I'm not allowed to wear my precious mask but I still would rather keep my face covered, I'm used to it, it's what suits me,"

"see Jervis, this is what I'm talking about, an expert in the human mind like Jonathan knows exactly who he is and what suits a... man like him, a bag over his head," the Joker said, "therefore as he is so sure of himself, someone like him doesn't have trouble talking to the ladies, and keeping his face covered only increases his chances to score, this man is truly a genius,"

"exactly! Thanks man...wait what?"

"so this is your brilliant idea!?" Jervis asked rather incensed, "to take me to a disgraced, deviant, psychopathic psychologist to diagnose me?"

"disgraced? I'm quite successful what are you talking about?! Have you ever heard of anyone else who can scare people to death? I don't think so," Jonathan quickly protested,

"do you still have your title?

"Well no, no they revoked it from me years ago, long, long ago,"

"besides," the Joker continued, "you've got it all wrong Jervis, this isn't to diagnose you or examine you in any way, we just want to help you come out of your shell, but I'm definitely going to need a scientist, even if it's a disgraced one, to have a fruitful and healing conversation with someone as troubled as you,"

"speak for yourself," Jervis replied, "what's more, you are telling me to come out of my shell, but if turtles left their shells they'd die, so that analogy is wrong, pointless and stupid, and this was a really, really stupid idea,"

"come on Jervis we'll have fun, let's just chat a bit, we're your friends,"

"I really hate the both of you and I sincerely hope you die," Jonathan intervened,

"see, and that's coming from your second best friend,"

"how is having a chat going to help me talk to women?"

"it's not just about having a chat, but what kind of chat we would have,"

"what the hell are you talking about?"

"Roleplay!" The Joker exclaimed enthusiastically, "it's what me and Harley do sometimes if we want to spice things up in the bedroom, I'll pretend to be someone like John Douglass, accountant for a non profit, and she'll pretend to be, a horse,"

"can I be the rug? Or the ground?" Jonathan intervened again, "or anything that you can step on like you are stepping on my chances for early release,"

"when is the earliest you can leave?" Jervis asked him,

"I think in 725 years or something like that, honestly I've lost count, and it's definitely more now that you are here, I'm an accomplice now, thank you,"

"regardless of that, I'm sorry but I don't want to pretend to be a horse under any circumstance,"

"you don't have to pretend to be anyone else Jervis, you'll be yourself," the Joker continued, "however Jonathan here will pretend he's a lovely lady named…,"


	2. Part 2

"Alice!" Jervis cried out immediately.

There was a pregnant pause, "...alright, Alice is her name," the Joker said rather weirded out,

"I can diagnose you right now, you are a hopeless creep, why do I have to do this?"

"Shut up Crane, you love having us here to validate your existence,"

"...you didn't have to say that," said Jonathan with a hurtful tone,

"let's begin, remember Jervis we don't have all the time in the world so quickly imagine that Jonathan here is a beautiful blonde woman named Alice and she has a sassy look in her eyes directed right at you,"

"why does she have to be beautiful?" Jonathan intervened,

"shut up Crane! It's all yours Jervis."

Jervis exhaled rather loudly and approached Jonathan, while he rolled her eyes behind the paper bag,

"I love you," Jervis said,

"no, start over, that's too much,"

"um, okay, hello miss, would you freak out if I told you that I love you?"

"Yes, a lot, why would you tell me that you weirdo?"

"Because it's true,"

"that's not possible I don't even know you,"

"but I know you, I've known you my whole life,"

"...the corny police called, they say you are gay, this isn't working," the evil Jonathan Crane exclaimed,

"oh yeah, and what do you suggest we do genius? You went to school for this,"

"I have no idea, to tell you the truth I've forgotten everything that doesn't have to do with fear or chemicals that combined cause fear, but I do know that he needs to see an example first, here's what we'll do," Jonathan pointed at the Joker, "you are Alice now and I am me, check how it's done."

The Joker instantly turned his back to them and moved his head to the side while waving her eyebrows up and down suggestively, at the same time Jervis observed attentively.

Jonathan cleaned his throat, "have you ever thought about what your grandchildren might look like?" He said,

"em, no, have you?" The Joker said with a distinctly feminine voice,

"oh yeah all the time," Jonathan answered, "I'm obsessed with it, sometimes I just want to spawn some offspring so they can...reach a certain age and then spawn some offspring of their own just so I can take a look at the little bastards, and discover what scares them, sometimes the mere thought of what my grandchildren might be scared of makes…,"

"alright I think that's enough for me, you sir are a pig," the Joker said before simulating walking away. "Okay pause," he then said with his regular voice, "that was...something, but let's change it up a bit, now Jonathan will roleplay as a regular person, maybe someone named Martin or Michael, so Jervis can see what regular folks say to ladies to ask them out,"

"fine, I'll try," Jonathan said before removing the paper bag from his head, revealing an extremely pale face with a long nose and a badly cut, short reddish hair, messily styled to the side,

"perfect, so I'm Alice again," the Joker said using his feminine voice again, "start,"

"excuse me madam," Jonathan exclaimed, lowering the tone of his nasal voice but somehow speaking louder, and also standing straighter, with his chest out, "I'm so sorry to bother you," he continued, "my name is...Martin...Michael...Plunkett, I couldn't help but notice you from a far and I just have to say that you are very beautiful and I was wondering if you'd like to go out with me sometime, we could go get a coffee in the afternoon or whenever you are free, I know I'm not the easiest person on the eyes but I can assure you that if you give me the chance I'll treat you just how I would like someone to treat me, with respect, tact, consideration, and giving you enough space to be yourself, and I'll make you laugh too, I guarantee it,"

"hmm, that sounds good but you are neither athletic nor handsome, and it doesn't look like you have any money, where would you take me?"

"Well, I don't know, I didn't think I'd get this far, when I was out I liked to frequent a small coffee shop downtown, but last I remember they were doing repairs on it and I don't know if they've finished, maybe we could stand outside of it and talk, no, that wouldn't be good would it? Especially if it was sunny out, I'd have to take my cousin's friend's van too because I can't drive stick, I mean I can but the car would die on me a bunch of times and I'd look like a fool or I could cause an accident...I'm having some trouble coming up with a good idea for where to take you because you seem well traveled, and what I mean by that is that I just said a bunch of words to you and you are already asking me where I would take you, I don't mean well traveled as in you've had a lot of partners, sexual partners, and

it's like, I'm not a serial killer, specifically speaking, and I'm just saying that because that's the first thing people think about when they think about going on a date with a stranger, as if it were the only bad thing that could happen to them, some unlucky people would've preferred to die I'll tell you that much...so anyway I have no idea, maybe batburger?"

Another pregnant pause,

"...did you see what happened here Jervis?" The Joker said as the Joker again, "this man came in oozing confidence, as you should, but then he crumbled after the first question,"

"yeah? Let's see you do better clown," Jonathan exclaimed,

"no, this time I have a better idea, I'll see how I do better," the Joker said before raising his two naked index fingers, which already had two faces drawn on them with black ink, a man with his hair drawn to the side and glasses on his right finger, and a woman with long hair on his left one, "this is Pete," he said as he waved his right finger, "and this is Peggy," he added as he waved his left one,

"did you draw those on your fingers just for this?" Jonathan asked, "or did you do this whole thing just so you could use your drawings?"

The Joker ignored him and put his two fingers in front of each other, then moved his right one as he spoke,

"hello! My name is Pete, what's yours?" He said,

then moved his left finger as he continued, "I'm Peggy, and I like horses".

He moved his right finger, "really? That's very interesting, can I buy you dinner?"

He then moved his left finger, "hm, I'm not sure, I don't know you",

"and how do you plan to get to know me if you don't agree to go out with me, ha? I'm asking,"

"maybe I don't want to get to know you,"

"so is that a no?"

"Yes,"

"is that a yes?"

"No, I'm saying yes it is a no, I don't want to go out with you,"

"great, I have failed my grandfather, the king of getting dates." The Joker then raised his left middle finger to reveal that he had drawn another face on it, of a man just like the one on his right finger except this time it had a mustache,

"grandson," he said as he moved his left middle finger, "you haven't failed me yet, there's still time for you to make it right and get a date with Peggy,"

"how?"

"You need to believe in yourself, just like I believe in you, you can do it, seal the deal."

The Joker made Pete look directly at Peggy, "hey please go on a date with me, I won't be mean to you,"

"okay, I'll go on a date with you,"

"yes, I did it grandpa, all thanks to you,"

"good job grandson, I love you…" the Joker said as he put his right index finger right in front of his left middle finger, and kept them just like that for a few seconds,

"...you know, it's too bad that in this society you can't marry your grandfather..." the Joker put his right index finger in front of his face and looked at it, "...or can you?" He then made Pete and his Grandpa kiss, touching the tip of his right finger with the one of his left middle finger for a prolonged period of time at the same time he made kissing noises, while the other two in the room stayed quiet, silently done with him,

"did I do it right?" He asked to both Jonathan and Jervis after some time, as both of his fingers were almost fully black, with the faces previously drawn on them now indistinguishable,

"Who am I to judge bro?" Jonathan said.

"So, Jervis, after all of that do you think it has become easier for you to talk to women?"

"Um...well...no...not really to be honest, but it has been quite informative."

The Joker and Jonathan both looked at Jervis with tired yet angry eyes, it seemed like he was not appreciating their efforts to help him.

"Let me ask you a real question," Jonathan then said to Jervis, "what goes through your mind right after the thought of a woman talking to you appears, what do you think is going to happen to you afterwards?"

"Well, I'm afraid,"

"uhh...tell me more, what makes you afraid?"

"I'm very afraid,"

"oh yeah...",

"yes, I'm afraid they don't love me like I love them,"

"you are right in being afraid of that, your instincts are correct, they don't love you and they never will, in fact I don't think they can feel anything but hate, shame and fear at the sight of a freak like you,"

"is that so? Have you looked at yourself in the mirror? You'll never have grandchildren, you'll never have children of your own,"

"you think I don't know that? You really are deranged then,"

"coming from you that must be a compliment,"

"what about me?" The Joker interrupted,

"you are deranged too and I'm sure your so called girlfriend is free, having fun with Poison Ivy, you are just a hopeless creep like us,"

"I can show you a hopeless creep if you want," the Joker exclaimed, revealing just how short his temper actually was,

"oh yeah, could you roleplay as Alice while you do it?" Jonathan challenged him,

"I'll roleplay as the great grandma that you murdered,"

"I'll kill you,"

"what's the point?" Jervis said to himself. Then he placed his hand on the edge of his hat and closed his eyes, but before he could do anything a distinct shadow on the broken wall caught his sight,


	3. Part 3

"the bat is here!" Jonathan cried out, making Jervis instinctively walk out the cell and try to fight him, not personally of course, but rather by using his recently acquired minions, the guards of Arkham themselves. He was able to see the giant shadow swiftly running around and knocking out every head that found its way into his fists, bodies went down on the ground senseless, it was a harsh scene for everyone that wasn't Batman. It was inconceivable to everyone not on his side that he was considered a crime fighter. Slowly but steadily Jervis could feel the mind control that he held on the guards slip away from him, one by one, on account that the minds he was controlling weren't available once Batman's fists reached them. Worse for him, behind the fight he could see the rest of the guards, all free from his mind control, making their way to contain the break out.

Out of nowhere he felt the Joker's hands on him, he violently put his arm around Jervis' neck and grabbed the bag of bombs on his other hand,

"if you know what's good for you you'll stay away from us Batman! You better! Or I'll blow our dear friend Jervis' head off, and everyone else with it,"

"don't touch my hat!" Jervis shouted,

"remember we were talking about hopeless creeps? Here's the worst kind of them all, the idealistic hopeless creep, you aren't different from us Batman! The only difference between you and the people you put in here is that you think something rotten can turn fresh again, you think that there's hope for all of us, here's your hope you creep!"

The Joker threw the rest of his bombs unto the air, then took out his gun and shot at it, causing a big explosion.

"are you crazy?!" Jonathan shouted behind them, "oh wait, never-mind."

The smoke dissipated, Batman's unscathed figure became apparent, "maybe there's hope for everyone, but not for you," he said.

Jervis identified one of the guards standing behind Batman, he closed his eyes and sneakily grabbed a card from behind his hat.

"Aww you hurt my feelings," the Joker said, offended, "as I said, get closer and we lose our friend Jervis forever."

A blonde guard sucked punched Batman right in the jaw; the Joker burst into laughter. Batman managed to stay on his two feet but before he could immobilize the guard she escaped him and ran all the way to Jervis and the Joker, per Jervis' mental orders.

"Now we have some real leverage against the bat," Jervis said,

"I couldn't have said it better myself," the Joker said before grabbing Jervis and their new hostage and disappearing from the scene. Jonathan, however, didn't fare so well, as another group of guards creeped up behind him, first subduing him, and ultimately shocking him repeatedly for his troubles, all of this while Batman silently stared at the fugitives from afar, which made both the Joker and Jervis realize that they had sealed their fates, and they didn't have a lot of time left until they met them.

They ran around the gray and brown yard of the facility looking for a place to hide. It was almost not worth it anymore, still they managed to pull from what was left of their willpower to hide behind another block of cells, knowing their future capture and punishment were a certainty.

"Welp, there goes my chance to escape, and I've also gained myself a free beatdown courtesy of the bat, hurray, I should've just left, you are a hopeless cause Jervis and I don't care that you know it, you've cost me my freedom, and you've probably saved the lives of many citizens of Gotham, so congratulations".

Jervis ignored the Joker and made the female guard kneel on the grass, then he knelt right in front of her,

"hi, my name is Jervis, what's yours?" Jervis asked,

"Alice," she answered,

"that's a beautiful name, I really like that name, it is probably my favorite name of all time,"

"thank you very much, Jervis is a really cool name too,"

"oh you are too kind...so, Alice, what do you like to do for fun?"

"A lot of things, I like to read and play games, prance barefoot through the field and smell the flowers, drink tea and eat cake, and dream of someone who would care for me and protect me and listen to me, someone to whom I could give all of my love,"

"would you believe that I like to do the same things? And I have the same dreams too, of course I also like to be alone sometimes, sometimes I like to pretend that I'm the only person in the planet, and that I live in a cozy cave sixteen feet underground, all by myself, and sometimes I also pretend that no one exists, not even me, does that ever happen to you? Do you ever get tired of yourself?"

"I do, I think that happens to everyone they just don't like to admit it,"

"and sometimes, sometimes when I don't drink my tea I get these very crazy nightmares while I am awake, I see monsters everywhere I go and I can hear them speak, talking to each other about me, they always need to make sure they know where I am at all times and don't leave me a single inch, nor a single second to myself, and they can always reach me but I can't ever reach them, so I have to silence them from afar, I have to keep them quiet and I feel bad but I have to you see, because if I don't they won't stop talking and they'll get me, they always get me,"

"my poor, sweet Jervis, if only everyone knew what you have to go through,"

"why aren't there more women like you Alice?"

"One is enough to make your life better forever, now come and rest your head on my lap."

Jervis timidly obeyed the female guard and carefully rested the back of his head on her lap, then she started stroking his cheeks,

"just be really careful with my hat please, and brush away any dead leaves that fall on my face, and sing me a song won't you?" Jervis asked,

"...you can really have no notion how delightul it will be, when they take us up and throw us, with the lobsters out to sea,"

"that's my favorite song," Jervis said with his eyes closed, then he raised and knelt right in front of her again,

"is there anything you'd like to say to me Alice?"

He asked, but she said nothing,

"anything at all, you can tell me anything you want and I'll listen."

Jervis stopped thinking and started looking around, he became aware of where he was once more; the joker was gone. Suddenly, from the top of his head he felt a sheer cold, Jervis turned around to find Batman with his hand on his hat.

"No, stop touching my hat!" Jervis cried and tried to stand up, but the cold that creeped through his body downwards stopped him from doing so. It was extremely painful, Batman was torturing him just because he was trying to talk to Alice, it was an absolute injustice.

Jervis' hat became too heavy for his head, and at the moment he felt his neck would break from the weight, instead he felt it being removed from him and Jervis did not know what was worse, that he didn't have his hat anymore or that it would explode immediately. Batman threw the completely frozen hat away from them and a few seconds passed before it exploded safely, freeing the female guard in the process.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Jervis shouted at the skies, until only a haunting whisper escaped his mouth, then he lowered his head and closed his eyes, and a layer of ice on top of his head broke into pieces and fell to the ground.

The blonde guard stood up and violently grabbed Jervis by his collar, she was livid,

"you want something real? You are the worst, most horrific creep that has ever existed, someone as mental as you shouldn't be allowed to live, I really hope that you die soon! For your own good,"

"I know."

She let Jervis kneeling on the ground and left, knowing there was absolutely no point in speaking to someone like him. As she walked away from them, still rabid, Jervis raised his head and looked at Batman, who was already looking at him, and they stared at each other for a few seconds before Batman left. The guards came back with all of their tasers ready.

Jervis was empty, but at the same time he wasn't open to be fulfilled by anything, not electricity, not pain, not hateful taunts or dehumanizing insults. He stayed silent, staring at nothing, until the guards took him to another simple cell just like the one he had before, then left him there alone in the dark and in silence. There he started talking to himself,

"Back behind bars and my hat is gone forever, this small cell in the dark is more than enough to contain my weak and frail body, and my troubled mind...and my desires, oh Alice, all of them out there, who will live and grow and yet keep the simple and loving heart of their childhood, and how they will gather about their own children and make their eyes as bright and eager as their own, and how they will all feel with all their simple sorrows, and find pleasure in all the simple joys, remembering

their own child life and the happy summer days...and me, a hopeless creep, too aberrant and corrupted to make any Alice happy, why would I ruin their existence? Why would I not want them to live happy lives, which I cannot have? If my desire for them brings them sadness then my desire for them must die, and I must stay hidden, away from them. That will finally give them what I always wanted for them, but what of me? Oh, what will be of my life without desire?"

The doors of the cell block opened, and the guards walked in carrying another inmate. Now purposeless, Jervis walked to the front of his cell and grabbed the prison bars. There he saw her, and could feel how the sight of her filled the hole that he had just created inside of him, as they

carried her, strapped from her limbs and her neck to a metal table semi vertically, she still tried to bite off the arms of the guards carrying her, with the eyes of a demon. She looked at him too,

"hi puddin', I guess we are roommates now," she said before they took her away,

"pudding," Jervis said to himself in the darkness, "pudding."


End file.
